Fried Basmati Brown Rice With Chicken and Vegetables

Fried rice is a great, complete meal in a bowl.  You can toss together a variety of vegies with meat or with tofu/seitan/mock duck.   Its easy and quick to make since you can cook up a batch of rice, refrigerate it and use it throughout the week.   

The following recipe has a bit of a thai flare to it.  Its recommended to have all of your ingredients prepared and at arm’s length before you begin, as the cooking goes very quickly.
www.nytimes.com: May 27, 2010 Martha Rose Shulman

2 heaped cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
3/4 pound chicken breast, sliced thin across the grain
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 bunch scallions, both white and green parts, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 or 2 serrano chiles, minced (seeded for a milder dish)
1 large carrot, peeled and diced small or cut in 2-inch matchsticks
2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
6 cups cooked basmati brown rice or rice you prefer (1 1/2 cups uncooked)
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges and sliced cucumber for serving (optional)
Soy sauce or fish sauce for serving

1. Steam the broccoli florets for two to three minutes. Rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. Season the sliced chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat a large wok or a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates upon contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirl in the skillet and add the sliced chicken breast. Stir-fry until cooked through, three to four minutes. Add the carrot and broccoli. Stir-fry for two minutes. Add another tablespoon of the oil and the scallions, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beaten eggs, stir for a few seconds until scrambled, and add the rice. Cook the rice: scoop it up, press it into the pan and then scoop it up again, repeating for about two minutes. Add the fish sauce, stir together for about a half minute and sprinkle the cilantro over the top. Serve, garnishing each plate with cucumbers and lime wedges if desired. Diners can squeeze lime juice onto their rice as they eat.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Advance preparation: Cooked rice will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. The dish is a last-minute stir-fry, so have all of your ingredients prepared and within reach.